TEHRAN (FNA)- Iran Khodro Industrial Group (IKCO) and Germany’s car manufacturer Mercedes Benz officially started a new round of cooperation with opening their joint company in Tehran.

Setareh Iran company was inaugurated in a formal ceremony attended by German Ambassador to Iran Michael Freiherr von Ungern as well as a group of top managers from IKCO and Mercedes Benz.

Addressing the ceremony, the CEO of Setare Iran, Ali Namakin spoke of the economically and technically feasibility studies currently underway for producing Benz motorcars in Iran, adding:”Based on the agreement signed between Germany’s Daimler AG and IKCO, the two sides will establish a joint venture through Setare Iran.”

He went on saying that the cooperation would be enhanced in future. ”Iran will import 1,500 to 2,000 Mercede Benz vehicles in next year and the customers can drive them with full confidence,” the CEO added.

Namakin cited IKCO as the largest car manufacturer in the Middle East and a pioneering car producer in the world saying IKCO maintained its production standards even under the West’s sanctions and its new round of cooperation with international car manufacturers is part of a larger plan to play its pioneering role in the auto industry.

He emphasized the unique nature of IKCO and Mercedes Benz agreement saying the new cooperation would be launched via a joint venture.

“Initial feasibility studies have already been conducted on assembling Benz products in Iran. The two sides would enjoy the support of local part producers in the next rounds of cooperation,” Namakin said.

Touching upon the company’s after-sales service, the CEO said, the service network of Mercedes Benz and IKCO operate totally separated from each other.

“Mercedes Benz has been holding a number of training courses for the technical service staff of its 30 outlets across the country. The company is also establishing its own standards,” he added.

The CEO of Setare Iran also spoke of the company’s plan to import and produce Mercedes Benz vehicles in various classes at lower prices saying:”Almost all Benz classes are luxurious but we have already conducted several research into new ways to produce vehicles in new classes which could be used as taxi in the next phases of two sides’ cooperation,”

For his part, the CEO of Mercedes Benz Middle East Office, Steffen Boumann praised IKCO as the largest car manufacturer in the region saying IKCO’s production lines enjoy a high quality.

He emphasized the necessity of conducting new research into the regional markets, adding:”We are of the opinion that IKCO has an enormous potential to produce Mercedes Benz vehicles.”

He concluded that the German company will enhance its cooperation with IKCO after conducting feasibility studies and establishing new production lines at IKCO sites in the near future.

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